UK govt defeated again over Brexit as Lords vote to stay in EU agencies

LONDON: Britain’s Upper House of Parliament inflicted another defeat on Prime Minister Theresa May’s government on Tuesday, voting against her plans to leave European Union agencies after Britain leaves the bloc.

The House of Lords voted 298 to 227 in favour of an amendment to her Brexit blueprint, which would require Britain to participate in, or have a formal relationship with, the agencies of the EU after Brexit.

In a related development British Prime Minister Theresa May has told officials to do more work on future EU customs arrangements after her foreign minister attacked one of her Brexit proposals as “crazy”.

Boris Johnson’s broadside against what some say is May’s preferred option for ensuring Britain’s new border with the European Union is as frictionless as possible underlines the deep divisions over what post-brexit ties should look like.

May’s decision to leave the EU’S customs union, which sets tariffs for goods imported into the bloc, has become one of the main flashpoints in the Brexit debate, pitting companies and proeu campaigners against a group of eurosceptic lawmakers.

Johnson and other Brexit supporters have come out against a proposal for a customs partnership that would effectively see Britain collect tariffs for the EU, putting pressure on the prime minister to dump the plan.

PM May has told officials to do more work on future EU customs arrangements after her foreign minister attacked one of her Brexit proposals as “crazy”

May’s spokesman said on Tuesday work was continuing on the two proposals currently on the table — the customs partnership and highly streamlined customs arrangement that would rely on technology.

The EU has dismissed both proposals.

“The prime minister asked officials to take forward that work as a priority,” her spokesman told reporters after her so-called Brexit war cabinet failed to come to an agreement on which plan to pursue at a meeting last week.

“Following last week’s cabinet subcommittee meeting, it was agreed that there are unresolved issues in relation to both models and further work is needed.”

Brexit campaigners have criticised the customs partnership and believed it had been shelved until business minister Greg Clark again made the case for the proposal on Sunday.